Scream For Me
by x-Lure
Summary: The strange girl that they found in the woods never spoke. Even when surrounded by the three she was found wandering with, or when that special glint appeared in her eyes, depicting what she was feeling, not a word was muttered. Silence can be devastating
1. Lost and Found

The world swirled around in clouds of purple, black, and grey. When this first started happening I couldn't feel anything but a great tug in my chest, as if something was pulling me, guiding me through this _cloud_ until I broke through on the other side. One moment, I had been fuming over a stupid joke made at my expense, and then there was nothing but black... and silence.

**-----**

**Chapter 1: **_**Lost and Found**_

Leiko Urumetsuki was the first to awaken to the silver moonlight. Her black eyes glared around at the surroundings, instantly picking up several things- like the silence, the black air, and the rough, forest landscape. This wasn't home.

She lifted her head, just high enough that her nose was above the ground and took a deep breath as she did so. The ground was damp under her fingertips, and the air was moist. It was close to dawn, she would guess. Shifting, she sat up and peered behind her, where she heard mumbling, and a few more groans. Three bodies stirred in the dark, waking from an unexpected slumber into the shocking scene before them. She was relieved, in a way, to detect a head of blonde hair among the three.

Though it was not that head of blonde hair that gained their bearings first. It was the only other one with Leiko's colour of hair- dark as the night around them, with the silver shine of the moon- that pulled his head up and looked her in the eye. He looked away just as quickly as he had stared at her, his blue eyes unable to hold her gaze for any length of time, no matter the circumstance. His skin seemed to glow under the moon, making him more handsome than Leiko dared give him credit for.

"Where are we?" he asked. His silky voice drew out over the terrain, scattering what few birds were left in the area. It made the other two girls flinch and become suddenly aware of their surroundings as they stared in shocked awe. The blonde- whose blue eyes were wide with surprise- seemed somehow less fazed than her friend, a pink haired girl with matching eyes who shook in her place. She had never seen anything so out of the ordinary before. How could anyone go from being in the dead centre of town, to the middle of a strange forest?

Yasashiku Hakaisha, the male of them all, stood first and brushed himself off. "It's probably best to get moving," he started. He glanced down at the two curious girls closest to him and gave a friendly smile. "If we stay too long, who knows what strange animals could pop up." The blonde and pink haired girls jumped up instantly, anxious now to get out of the forest they had somehow found themselves in. But Leiko stayed in her place, sitting on her butt, with her legs bent out to their respective sides, and palms on the ground in front of her- much like a stubborn puppy.

She sighed, frustrated. Her bad mood was worsening by the moment. Something strange tickled her nose when the wind blew, making her wrinkle her face up unattractively. She heard a light laugh and turned her head up sharply, Yasashiku filling her vision. He held a hand out to her, offering his help.

"There's no use staying on the ground," he pointed out.

Leiko snorted and shifted so that she could stand, taking his hand agitatedly. He pulled her up firmly, and once she was on her feet, he turned to the other two girls to beckon them forward.

"Let's go."

Leiko stepped ahead of him, even if he seemed like he was leading the way, and began trekking through the dark woods. Easily she treaded over fallen logs, tangled plants, and monstrous, evil-looking tree roots. Yasashiku fell behind, however, offering to help the pink haired girl, Kohana, through the foliage.

Keiko, the blonde, patiently waited until she stumbled one too many times, it seemed. She scoffed, sighing impatiently. "A little help for your sis, Leiko?" she questioned irritably.

Leiko turned to raise an eyebrow at her, only to find her younger sister in a tiff, hands on her hips and scowl on her lips. Amused now she doubled back, reaching out to grasp her hand, and the girl's frown turned into a cheery grin as she grabbed for her hand in return.

Keiko was proud to own the privilege of being one of the only ones Leiko would come into contact with.

Small talk began between Kohana and Yasashiku as they continued their way through the forest, only falling quiet again when she fell asleep while piggybacking on the male. Keiko appeared to find this amusing. Leiko did not. There was that small bit of the male she felt bound to defend, and Kohana was not the most innocent of pre-pubescent girls.

Or had she hit puberty by now? Leiko pondered briefly.

Lost in thought, she was brought out again by the male's voice. "Do you smell that?" he asked cautiously. Blinking, Leiko turned to look at him. He held his head slightly higher in the air, looking around for signs of something he had apparently smelt. She too began searching for it, paying attention to scents in the air now. It was quick enough to detect.

Smoke, meaning a fire, which blocked out many other scents, and also something that made her nose wrinkle in distaste. It was oily, salty, and... fish.

But Keiko seemed pleased. "Aww~ food," she whined. Her stomach growled almost immediately afterwards. How the girl could only think about what was cooking was beyond the black haired female, however with the lightest of glares, she glanced at her sister and cautiously stepped forward. She couldn't let her starve after all.

It wasn't very long at all before the light of flames was clear in the darkness. It was easy to see Keiko's excitement, the way she held a new, anxious bounce to her walk. To keep her from dashing towards the fire- which with her luck, she was likely to fall into- Leiko grabbed the sleeve of her shirt and urged her into nearby bushes. Spying.

The smell was far stronger now, making Leiko shudder lightly as she crouched behind a tree. After a moment she peeked around, eyes glinting with the light of the flames just on the other side of the brush. She could pick out... three- no- four figures on the other side. Three small ones, and one bigger one. Three kids and an adult. Biting her lip, she pondered. They couldn't be that much of a threat, right?

Suddenly, one figure moved, turning its head in her direction, and she quickly snapped around behind the tree again. Quite noisily. She grimaced.

"Come on out, we know you're there." The voice was male, deep and- Leiko would call it- charming. It didn't seem at all hostile, but calm, collected, and not at all afraid that something was lurking in the bushes.

Leiko turned her head quickly towards Keiko, scowling deeply. Motioning with her eyes, she implied what she wanted clearly. _She_ could go out in the open first. The younger girl's mouth dropped open and she stuttered for a moment before biting her lip nervously and standing so that she could be seen.

Leiko watched carefully as her sister laughed nervously and waved. "Hi there." She tried to smile, much to the older girl's amusement, but it did not look at all happy. "Um..." Bouncing on the spot, the girl seemed at a loss for words. After all, was it every day she had to ask strangers for food? With an audible sigh, she pointed at the fish. "We um, smelled you guys cooking and uh..." Her stomach finished her sentence.

But Leiko smacked her forehead. Her sister was _so_ clever. "'We'?" she heard the smooth voice of the male echo, followed by the small gasp of the girl, and the slap of her covering her mouth, clearly realizing her stupid mistake.

Slowly the remaining three- Kohana still perched on the male's back, sleeping- crept from their hiding places, though Leiko found one thing strange when she laid her eyes one the opposing figures. There were four- three pre-teens, and one adult- but the adult, who had obviously been the one conversing with her younger sister, did not seem at all surprised that there had been more than what met his eye.

And that was all she could see of his face. One eye.

That was all, before something interrupted her vision entirely, and sharp cold tickled her throat. Leiko's black eyes glared into another set of black as she tipped her head back, taking the tiniest of steps back to keep her balance. The sudden intrusion into her personal space was not bad enough, but it seemed the black haired youth, who seemed to act of his own accord, appeared to feel the need to place a blade to her neck. Leiko's lip twitched before she could help it, and she grit her teeth to keep her mouth shut.

"Who are you?" he sneered at her. This only earned a harsher glare in return as finally the other figures around seemed to catch up with the commotion. Though the one eye of the man Leiko had spied seemed perfectly calm. Clearly he expected something more of this boy than Leiko did- perhaps a certain degree of control over himself, to the point that there was no true need to worry.

When Leiko didn't answer, Keiko spoke up. "Leave her alone! What's the matter with you?!" she yelled. But the boy seemed reluctant to shift his position. He was so utterly steady, that Leiko wondered if he was moving at all.

"Calm down," Yasashiku's voice rose through the commotion. Leiko's gaze didn't avert to him, but stayed locked on the boy's. Though her attention was all Yasashiku's. "We're lost. That's all. If we're not welcome, we'll leave."

The only time that either Leiko's or the young boy's eyes shifted away from each other, was when she heard the shuffling of the older male as he stood. "That's enough, Sasuke."

The youth tensed for only a moment, seeming reluctant to back off of Leiko. However, she caught the movement of his lips as he whispered lightly, dangerously.

_"There's something not right about you..."_

Though there was perhaps, some agreement on her end, Leiko could only stare mockingly as the boy backed away, just as Master ordered. Silly little puppy, she silently mocked.

"You needed food, right?" Leiko's stare was broken as her attention was diverted to the older male. His gaze was on her, almost as if prodding her to answer him. It was an innocent enough question, and yet somehow she felt that there was some meaning behind it. If only to get her to speak.

"Yeah... we'd be really grateful," Keiko answered instead. Her stomach rumbled, making her blush lightly. She hadn't eaten in what felt like forever.

His gaze finally drifted to her, and he seemed to understand the point that there was no answer that could be provoked from Leiko. "Then you're welcome," he cheered instantly, suddenly friendly. "There's enough to go around."

Keiko brightened until a loud voice cut into the scene. "But Kakashi-sensei!" Her face fell as she stared at the blonde boy, who seemed to be not the only one to protest, but certainly the only one to voice it. "We worked hard for that food! I'm starving too!"

Leiko watched her sister glance between the young boy and the other male- Kakashi, she gathered his name to be. But the latter seemed content to have them there. And it wasn't him, anyways, who berated the poor youth.

"Naruto! That's rude!" the pink haired girl yelled, bashing the boy over the head.

The older male ignored the commotion going on around him and beckoned Keiko and Yasashiku towards the fire where food sat waiting. Leiko, however, was reluctant. She neither liked fish- at all- nor did she feel welcome. The stare from Sasuke- no matter that he didn't voice anything- made her uneasy.


	2. Ambush

**Chapter 2: **_**Ambush**_

_"So you're lost?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"We'll take you back with us. It'd be a crime to leave you to starve out here."_

_"ALRIGHT!!"_

_"Naruto! Shut your mouth!"_

_"Um... okay. I guess it wouldn't hurt..."_

Leiko shook her head, recalling every detail in what seemed like High Definition Cable of how they ended up where they were. Keiko had spoken with Kakashi briefly, and accepted the offer to join them, wherever they were going- she assumed, home.

Kohana had long ago been awoken, and her and Keiko were making brief conversation with the other pink haired girl in the back. Yasashiku strode close behind Leiko, where Sasuke was situated, and Naruto was between them and the females, seeming content on eavesdropping on the conversation. A conversation, which was heard plainly to Leiko, and which she did not at all appreciate being blabbed so openly to the new strangers.

She walked up ahead, beside Kakashi, taking her strides barely half a second before his, which placed her half a step in front of him. She noted he did glance at her from time to time when she did this, but made no movement to change her pace. In any case, he made no protest about it. So there would have been no point in taking her steps back and falling behind him.

Her steps only faltered once. That was when she had first laid eyes on what appeared to be home for these strangers they had so openly offered to take company with. She halted, staring up at the high, high wall made of wood that never seemed to end on either side of her. It looked more like a fortress than anything.

If it was thought that Leiko didn't notice the strange looks that were passed between Kakashi and the two men standing just inside the gate as they passed, that thought was horribly wrong. She lifted her head lightly, taking in a deep breath through her nose that sounded more like a sniffle. Her eyes were set into a cautious glare, which probably did not at all help the suspicious looks she felt boring into her from all sides. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something was awry, and they were barely inside the large gate by now.

She could almost feel her pupils dilate and a snarl curl her lip back before a grunt escaped her lips, and she plummeted towards the ground. Landing none-too-gently she writhed the moment the grass met her front, and a strong pressure pressed down on her back. Her hands were already bound by another pair- the owner of which was unknown. Through her sudden, unabashed anger, there was a small spark of revelation, and definitely wonder.

She hadn't- in the passed few months- come across anything that could sneak up on her, let alone wrangle her to the ground.

By the sounds around her, she could hear that she was not the only one who had been tackled to the ground and held there. Keiko, Kohana, and Yasashiku- to Leiko's surprise- had also fallen. But by the sounds of shock and protest from the youths- Sasuke's voice missing from the riot, of course- it wasn't a planned ambush. Or at least not one that had been known to all party members.

"Easy," Yasashiku's voice cut through the commotion like a blade. He seemed to struggle for a moment, by the sound of his breaths, before he continued, directing his words towards the figure perched atop Leiko. "There's no need to be so rough with the females," he declared defensively.

Leiko's head shot to the side so she could glare at the male, but nonetheless, she had to agree. There was no reason to be aggressive.

"Jeez Kakashi-san, you bring them back and have us do all the dirty work. How kind," a voice rang from above her- her captor. Darting her eyes around, she searched for the silver-haired male who was being addressed. He wasn't far, lazily reading a book she had seen him pull out numerous times since the forest.

He pulled the book slowly away from his face, seeming undisturbed by the scene before him. His eyebrow was raised as he turned his gaze over to the male perched atop her, and something completely different seemed to be on his mind. "This is better than the books," he declared with the snap of the binding in his hand.

Finally the male above her shifted, and she could focus her attention on him- despite the implications of Kakashi's statement, which made her wrinkle her nose in distaste. She turned her black gaze up to see her ambusher's face, trying her best not to strain her eyes and cause a headache. She could see spiky black hair that stood out in an array of directions, a smirk which crossed his face- though his amusement did not change his grip- and finally, a bandage that crossed the bridge of his nose, obviously not there for medical purposes, but personal style.

"Get your mind out of the gutter and just come help, Kakashi-san," he called, albeit with an amused tone also in his voice. As soon as Kakashi moved to put the book into a back pouch on his pants, Leiko's eyes darted in his direction, wide and dilated. The first step he took was the only other movement she needed before her chest tightened and senses opened.

Her leg swung up and around, striking the male on her back as she rolled with him to force his weight off of her and switched positions. Not stopping there, however, she rolled once more to distance herself and with a firm push, found herself on her feet once more. The loud thumps of her own footsteps, rapid and heavy, sounded loud in her ears as she began to dash towards the gate.

The forest. The forest had to be safer.

She had barely made distance between herself and the male she had rolled before she heard a yell from the blonde boy, followed by useless ramblings of the pink haired female. Through the renewed commotion, one noise stood out above them all. It was neither loud, nor easily detectable. It was the almost silent footfalls of a pursuer.

There was only a second.

The footsteps barely faltered.

A pause.

Leiko spun quickly, the figure of her chaser entering her vision as he lunged through the air. A loud grunt escaped her lips when he collided with her, sending them both to the ground. As soon as her back hit, her lips curled up in a snarl, and her hands shot to the smaller shoulders of the youth who seemed to think himself more powerful. Sasuke.

With enough of a shove, she forced distance between their bodies, and glared at him- which was fiercely returned. She raised her leg quickly, before the boy would have a chance to pull any tricks from his sleeve, and felt her boot collide with his stomach. There was a cry as he fell away from her, and she scrambled to stand straight again. She didn't even get half way off the ground, before she found herself pinned again, by a weight that was almost familiar by now, and much heavier than Sasuke's.

"That was pretty impressive," her original captor declared as he pulled her hands back into a firm grip once again. "I've never seen a girl so intent on being on top before." He chuckled briefly afterwards as Leiko writhed angrily, and she felt her hands being bound. Her escape attempt then, did more harm than good.

She felt the male shift backwards, and gasped when she was pulled suddenly, not expecting the sudden switch as she stumbled on her feet. Her nose wrinkled in distaste once more as she was led like a dog into a pound towards where the rest of those she was with were. As they neared the rest of them, they were also pushed forward, and all led into the town, which she only now cared to observe. In all of the chaos, it had been hard to really notice clearly.

Being led through the town, Leiko found herself annoyed by a number of things. One was the numerous stares that followed them, another was that she was being led in the first place, and a major one, was that she found herself being led behind the two females and Yasashiku. She knew well that she showed what she was feeling clearly on her face, and imagined she looked quite snotty. What, with a frown, she imagined many people would look as such. Like Sasuke, for example, who seemed to enjoy returning any glares she sent in his direction.

His stomach must still hurt, she mused.

Leiko stumbled slightly when she was jerked to a stop, the glaring contest between her and Sasuke having distracted her from what was going on in her surroundings. She scoffed lightly at the male holding her wrists- still bound by ropes- and gave in to searching the area for the reason why they stopped. Her eyes locked on a beige building, and slowly trailed up its massive structure. It stood directly before them, tall and intimidating. She imagined this was what they had stopped for.

Her frown dropped from her face, and her lips parted. She didn't want to go in there.

But what choice was there, when she was forced through the green doors and up a flight of stairs? She found herself gritting her teeth, trying to keep from growling aloud at the male who forced her up each step- albeit trying to be gentle about it, but there was only so much patience one man could distribute, she assumed. And she was being more than resilient on each and every stair.

"It's not going to kill you to walk- normally!" he paused to give her a shove up another stair, the last of the bunch, and seemed relieved. He sighed loudly, giving Leiko a look she knew she had well deserved. "You're a pain."

Her eyebrow raised as he commenced to push her towards another set of doors, and she continued to drag her feet. It was good to know that she was being such a bother. It meant that she was successful in her intent. Which was the only thing she felt confident in, as she was pressed through that last set of doors, and stood within a large room, occupied by a long desk, which in turn sat five or so people. Immediately she didn't like the atmosphere. It was something attuned to being judged, and it didn't feel nice.

"What is this, Kakashi-san?" the old man in the middle spoke. He was adorned in a white robe, with a white hat to match. The only thing of colour on him was the deep red symbol on the front of the hat, which Leiko didn't bother to read.

Kakashi spoke up then, drawing attention away from the old man. "They stumbled across us in the forest, asking for food. It was a little suspicious, so I brought them back here for interrogation," he paused, turning his black gaze on Leiko, which she craned her neck to meet. He then took the initiative to point at her, accusingly. "That one's dangerous."

She snorted in response, clearly offended. This all seemed to be more for the silver haired man's amusement than for anything truly serious. Really, they weren't that suspicious when they had stumbled across the camp in search of food.

Keiko made a point of this. "That's not it at all!" She struggled in the grip of her captor- a woman- and tried frantically to explain. "We were lost! Leiko was just trying to find us some food! She's not _dangerous_!"

Lie.

The old man held up his hands in defense. "Enough, enough," he called over the commotion. "Let us calm down, shall we?" He paused to give the room a moment to quiet, and then cleared his throat. "Young lady, you said you are lost?" he prodded Keiko for answers.

But she was spoken over top of. "Yes, sir," Yasashiku's voice cut through the air, firm and serious. Though his face was merely assertive, it was clear by the tone of his voice: He was the one to be addressed for questions. "We're not sure how we got here."

The old man seemed to deliberate for a moment, staring Yasashiku in the eyes. What he was looking for, Leiko couldn't be sure of. What lie- if there ever was one- could be found in the deep blue eyes of the male?

Leiko was sure she was about to find out.


	3. Deals With Demons

**bChapter 3: i**_**Deals with Demons/b/i**_

Leiko rubbed her raw wrists viciously, trying to ease the slight burn that slithered around them from where the ropes had been only moments ago. With a fierce scowl on her face, she sat and proudly displayed one thing: she was not happy. And who would be, having been tackled, squashed, and then led around town for all to see like some kind of rabid dog? Definitely not her. If nothing else, she took the highest offence to the thought. So, not happy.

She proceeded to make this known by glaring at the male who had attacked her in the first place, his black, spiky hair enough to draw attention to himself. He seemed content in sticking around. She figured probably because it was still thought that she was some kind of threat. That they would need heavy guard in case they tried something. But what could they possibly try? Was she expected to try and kill the old man?

Another insult.

Suddenly, a hand fell on her head to ruffle her hair. "So, what village are you-" she cut the voice off, standing abruptly and swinging her arm backwards at the intruding hand, smacking it away. Stumbling lightly, lips parted, she scowled at the perpetrator. "-From..."

An awkward silence fell as Kakashi stared down at Leiko, her hair falling in front of her face in ragged pieces, and giving her a strange appearance. An appearance that Yasashiku was quick to draw attention from, his smooth voice slithering through the room. "Leiko has a 'no-touch' policy..." he trailed off, turning his dark blue gaze on Kakashi. "And we're not from a i_village/i_."

At this, the silver-haired man frowned. His unspoken question was answered before he even got the chance to part his lips. "We woke up in the forest, and that's all we know," Yasashiku stated firmly, staring the older male in the eye. It was silent for some time as his words seemed to drift through the air, never really sinking in anywhere. Merely floating about, unheard.

"So you're really not from around here, are you?" the old man's voice suddenly rang out, making the two girls who had been ignored until that point, jump. Kohana and Keiko- wide eyed and startled by the sudden noise- swallowed hard, likely trying to ease their racing hearts back out of their throats, and into their chests. Finally, the blonde was able to shake her head no in response, since no one else seemed capable of reply.

Leiko watched as the old man's face wrinkled some more, maybe in a frown as he contemplated the new information. He took a long time to think, during which time everyone watched, staying silent. Until finally, it seemed, someone got impatient enough- or maybe it was curiosity- to gather enough courage to interrupt his thought process.

"Hokage-sama?" a man in the corner called cautiously.

The old man finally moved, leaning up straight and grabbing the fude he had left on his desk, and began writing on the paper he had left unattended the entire time. "Educate them, Kakashi-san," came the simple order.

There was instant protest from the other men in the room. "B-but Hokage-sama!"

"They are of no threat," he silenced the commotion instantly and turned his gaze up to look Leiko in the eye. He held that contact for a brief second before returning to his paperwork. "I know how to tell a lie, from the truth."

Though the men around his desk still seemed unsure- as did the other two females accompanying Leiko- Kakashi nodded quickly, and agreed. As he beckoned the small group from the room, Leiko only then realized how claustrophobic she had been feeling under the circumstances. How cornered she had truly felt. And how relieved she was to be out of that room.

They received looks as they were lead through town again. She wasn't ignorant to this. In fact, it annoyed her so. People were so nosey it was astounding. They didn't even try to hide their stares. It wasn't until they reached a grassy field, that Leiko even felt relatively at ease- though never completely- and that the stares had died down.

But that was when the noise began.

"So what was that all about Kakashi-sensei!? We just wasted a whole bunch of time for nothing!" Naruto began shouting, causing Leiko to cringe from the volume. She made mental notes not to walk near the boy. Ever.

Kakashi turned, sitting himself on a rock that sat plainly in the middle of the grass, and sighed. Clearly Naruto was getting on more than one person's nerves. "It wasn't for nothing, Naruto." He turned his gaze one the three that had been accompanying him since the strangers had stumbled upon them in the forest, and searched for the right words to explain to both sides at the same time. Repetition was such a bother, after all, and took up much needed reading time.

"Not just anyone can wander into the village," he explained. He turned his gaze on Leiko, directing conversation towards her. "You had neither travel papers, nor forehead protectors to indicate where you were from. It was a little too suspicious..." He paused. "And it still is."

There was silence for a moment, and she wasn't sure if perhaps he expected some kind of answer from her or not. But when it wasn't apparent he wasn't going to get one, he spoke again. "But since you seem to be lacking in the intelligence department, I'll do my best to fill you in," he smiled beneath the mask on his face, making Leiko's eyebrow twitch with the urge to furrow in a scowl.

He opened his mouth again, but Keiko cut him off. "That's okay," she openly frowned, arms crossed. She was one moment away from tapping her foot, Leiko was sure. But the young female was determined, and she was insulted. "We can educate ourselves," she declared. Scowling still, she uncrossed her arms and turned her head to make eye contact with Leiko. Receiving a nod in return, accompanied by a sigh, the young blonde glared at Kakashi and turned to give herself some space between herself and Leiko, and the rest of spying subjects.

Kakashi merely blinked. Kohana did nothing to hide her excitement, which served to confuse him more, it seemed. So, being the more mature and sole male of the group, Yasashiku gave in to allowing the four onlookers in on the inside secret. After all, he couldn't have them interfering and having someone getting hurt.

"It's a spell," he voiced to those left behind as Keiko sat on the grass, and Leiko positioned herself on her back, head in her sister's lap. Once he had Kakashi's attention, he explained further. "You're looking at two of the best Witches I've ever had the..." he hissed softly, shifting on the spot, "pleasure of knowing."

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed and his gaze was instantly back on the two females as Keiko placed her hands on either side of Leiko's temples, and everything went silent.

There was no breeze.

There were no birds.

There was nothing.

Keiko's head fell forward, and slowly her eyes slit open, revealing the deepest pools of black. A slight gasp was heard from far back, but went unheard to the pair as the younger sister leaned forward, down towards Leiko, and pressed her lips to hers briefly. A light wisp passed between their mouths as she parted once more, and sitting straight once again, she let her head droop, her blonde hair providing somewhat of a curtain for the older sister. She watched with eyes of black, as the other female's defenses fell, opening the door to any and all information that they were privy to.

Behind Leiko's closed lids, all she could see was black. There wasn't the usual swirl of colour that could be seen when typically her eyes were closed. She dug deeper, seeing first a flash of an image flash through the darkness. Focusing, she brought it to full light, allowing her to see it properly. Slowly, piece after piece of the history around her began to unwind and reveal itself.

On the outside, Leiko's eyes merely flickered.

Many things passed by her, very real, and some potentially dangerous. Everything suddenly stopped when she had seen the most basic of information, and blackness surrounded her once more. But before her, a bright, red mist began to form, taking shape slowly. She raised her chin to stare up quietly at a great red fox. Its harsh ruby eyes stared back, a snarl on its face as it growled deep and loud. The least she expected of the great creature was for it to lunge at her, with the way its tails- all nine of them- flailed behind it. But she stared it down, dominant in all of her natures.

"b**You dare trespass here...**_** iWitch?/i/b**_" he spoke, a low, thick growl.

Leiko blinked, raising her chin higher in surprise as her lips parted. She had not expected at all for the great creature to be able to speak. The darkness around it seemed to grow blacker as he awaited her response, impatience radiating from his coarse fur.

Carefully, her lips formed words- the feeling almost foreign after so long, even if it was within herself.

"i_I seek... only knowledge./i_" She could see the way his fur rose on its hackles at the sound of her voice; airy and yet somehow... deadly.

But regardless, the fox snarled, laughing darkly while baring his teeth for her to see. "b**Only i**_**knowledge**_**?/i/b**" he mocked. "b**Witch.../b**" he trailed off, pausing to smile and giving Leiko the appropriate amount of time to be insulted by his name calling. "b**I will give you... i**_**knowledge/i**_**,/b**" he promised, leaning towards her with a grin dark enough to allow anyone to know, there would always be something unsaid, "b**if you let me taste your power./b**"

And she knew well, there was something unsaid.

But she stared the fox down, his ruby eyes somehow less intimidating with his new promise. It was like a deal with a demon- one she knew she shouldn't make, but oh, so irresistible. She raised her hand slowly, staring him down as she drew it closer to his thick, red fur.

"i_Deal./i_"

Her hand made contact with him only briefly before a loud cackle rang fierce over the darkness and the great fox quickly vaporized into the same red mist he had materialized from. Leiko's hand hung in mid-air as she watched it swirl around her, black eyes shimmering cautiously.

Then it collided with her, softly swirling around her form and lifting her from the non-existent ground that she stood on. Spiking sensations ran through her form as her head tilted back, and her lips parted to let out a sigh. It didn't hurt, like she thought it might. It was more... pleasurable.

And as promised, more images began to flash passed her now closed eyes, revealing much more information than she could have ever accessed on her own.

Naruto suddenly grabbed his chest, a heaving breath coming from his lips as he began to pant. His form trembled lightly, and instantly there were questions whizzing by his ears. Was he alright? What was wrong? But he didn't know...

He gasped, eyes flashing deadly ruby as a thick, red chakra began to swirl slowly, sensually around him. His teeth ground together, not in pain, but effort. What was it that he was feeling, suddenly piercing through him, running over him like a lover's touch?

Behind the red ruby of the great fox's eyes, black began to swirl, making Naruto pant more as power began to infect his body. He could hear the cackling laughter of the demon inside, almost see its shining, sharp teeth as it thrashed about behind the bars that contained it. He raised his eyes when he heard shouting, red on black spying the two sisters in the slight distance.

"Stop it! What are you doing to Naruto?!" Sakura shouted. He wouldn't have thought, for a moment, that it was the two, almost innocent sisters doing anything- least of all the pure blonde. But as he looked closer, he could see red sparks licking at the air around Leiko as she writhed lightly, a look of pure ecstasy on her features, lips parted.

Keiko seemed unaffected, eyes traveling the form of her sister while trying hard not to break her concentration. She was, perhaps, just as confused.

However, Naruto was the first to notice the black haired female's features change, when he felt a wave of sadistic pleasure course through his own body- the feeling, never his own.

That wonderful, red mist still coursed around her form, stilling the darkness around her as Leiko was held in dead air. So much history filled her mind. She could see everything. The great, Nine Tailed Fox, the pure destruction he had caused, the pleasure he had felt while doing so. The ninja, their training methods, their different villages, their ways. Enemies, allies... she knew everything.

She knew everything up until the present, and yet the images kept coming.

She furrowed her eyebrows in slight confusion, but did nothing to resist the knowledge being passed to her. It was all jumbled, she understood that the moment she began to see anything clearly. The series of visions that flickered around her mind were in no order, sometimes appearing a few at a time- making it difficult to watch each one and see clearly.

_i"Alright, Leiko-san... I understand,"/i_ a familiar, but unrecognizable voice rang.

She frowned further, unable to understand fully. She was in these images? It took very little thinking afterwards to realize what the fox was showing her. And like a child given candy, she asked for more.

_i"You don't get it. In three days, when that sun sets, everyone will die."/i_ She could see Keiko with a blonde woman.

_i"The little female is... broken."/i_ A grin shone in the darkness.

_i"Leiko-san..."/i_ Everything seemed to halt for that one voice. Male, deep, and luscious. It was intoxicating instantly, and she focused on it, almost desperately. She searched for any remains of it, digging deeper into the fox's power.

_i"Something the matter, Leiko-san?"/i_

A sudden sense of dread filled her, making her frown further as her eyebrows knit together. But she still searched further. She felt abruptly short of breath, gasping for air. A figure appeared before her, a pair of dark, red eyes shining from its shadowed form- not the fox's... but somehow still demonic.

_i"I'm afraid."/i_ She shuddered. Her own voice? i_"I'm sorry..."_

_"Leiko-chan!"_

_A scream./i_

Leiko's eyes snapped open suddenly, black pools shining with fear that she couldn't understand. She gasped for breath still, unable to catch the air in her lungs as the image of her sister entered her vision, worried and pale.

"Leiko... Leiko are you okay?!" she cried almost instantly, shaking her shoulders as if she were still asleep. "What did you do?!"

Leiko took another moment before sitting up, away from her sister, and lightly pressing her fingertips to her head where a clear pain was evident. From her peripherals, she could see Naruto recovering from something that seemed to have struck him hard while she was searching, though she chose to ignore it. She was being gazed upon expectantly, but for once... she felt her magical energies had been... diminished. Yet somehow, there was something there that had changed.

Closing her eyes, she tried to ease the pain in her head. Through the black, the red eyes of the shadow flashed, forcing her eyes open once more. She glared, turning her gaze towards the forest line nearby. There was nothing to see, but somehow, she didn't think that really mattered.

**bFude - Writing utensil for Calligraphy/b**


	4. Bargains

**Chapter 4: _Bargains_**

After a long, long rest in spare rooms that the hospital offered- courtesy of the Hokage, Sarutobi, as Leiko instantly recalled his name- it was only natural that the pestering for the information Leiko had received while in her trance was to begin again. It had been halted when it had first begun, her magical energy being diminished and nothing left to offer those who didn't see what she had- Keiko included. But afterwards, there was no excuse for her to withhold any pieces from Kohana, Keiko, and Yasashiku.

And she had given each their own bit of information with another, smaller spell, each being the same as the last. Each having had information withheld from them. Nothing was let slip about the Nine Tailed Fox, nor the bits of information he had given her. It was her little secret that she felt bound to keep.

And yet, recalling her visions, she couldn't help but become curious as to where the great fox had suddenly disappeared after attacking the village she now wandered.

"Such distraction is unacceptable!" Leiko gasped- sure she heard herself scream lightly- and tumbled backwards, staring up at the man who suddenly appeared before her, a strange look on her face. It was a mixture of something disturbed and surprised. One arm was raised in front of her, a natural reaction to protect herself from any danger. Though as the man struck a pose that made her more than question his sanity, she was sure he was no threat. "I shall take it upon myself to teach you the ways of a great ninja... just like me~" he chimed determinedly.

If he was a great ninja, she was sure she had more to fear.

Same stricken look on her face, she didn't move from her spot, simply stared at the man. His bowl cut black hair did nothing to flatter the green jumpsuit he wore, and his bushy eyebrows reminded her of a caveman. Was he really a great ninja?

He lost his pose, and suddenly turned to her, holding his fist in front of himself as he spoke almost normally. "You're Leiko-san, right? The girl that Kakashi-sempai- my lifetime rival- found in the forest?"

She didn't want to answer.

But alas, her head nodded in reply, slowly and unsure. Though some facts were slightly misunderstood, she was in fact, Leiko, as he had asked.

And then he continued. "Then you're in luck! We'll work on your training every waking moment that we're graciously given!"

Leiko was dumbstruck for anything to say- not that she would in the first place, but even her mind was blank. Luckily, someone else was able to speak up for her. "Is it really gracious to be attacking random people in the street?" She wasn't so proud to hear the voice, given previous encounters, however a saviour was a saviour.

Kakashi came into view, book in hand and nose buried in it.

And Gai's attention was on him in an instant. "Ah~ my rival! It's just like you to show up out of nowhere!" he declared. Leiko looked at Kakashi expectantly, hope in her dark eyes for some kind of rescue. Finally he looked up from his book, and a slight smile graced his face. Hope instantly traveled from her eyes all through her body that she might be saved.

There was no way he'd leave her in the hands of that... she glanced at the other figure and nearly grimaced, not knowing what to call him. But no one was so heartless as to just leave her there.

Right?

***

Well, she had been wrong before. And as she punched at the wooden log in front of her, she found herself imagining Kakashi's image on it. Some training will do you good, she growled in her head. She cursed the silver haired male to the deepest, darkest pits of Hell that she could conjure in her mind. Oh, and they weren't the cozy warm Hell dimensions. They were the ice cold ones, the kind she would imagine he would freeze to death slowly in.

With that thought in mind, she bashed the log with more force, as her 'instructor' told her to do. If there was any more _inspiration_ to come from Maito Gai- as she had learned his name to be- then he could at least do it while not standing on his hands.

Pausing for a moment, Leiko shook her hands painfully. It wasn't like punching something cushioned, like a punching bag or a person- which can still result in painful throbs. It was a solid, hard log, and it hurt like Hell. She examined the bandages covering her hands carefully, spotting small bits of pink slowly beginning to stain the blanket of white. It seemed even the protection she had offered her hands was not going to last for very long. Frowning, she realized it was going to take a lot of endurance to train this way.

She wiggled her fingers for a moment, feeling a refreshing tingle rush through her knuckles before she made a fist again. "That's it my pupil! Determination is the key to a strong fighter!!" Gai cried from the short distance he stood in.

Determination, she echoed in her thoughts, determination... and power.

She struck the log hard, eyes widening as a piece of wood chipped off and spiraled through the air briefly before falling to the grass below. Gai was at her side in an instant, tears in his eyes and declaring how proud he was over her first chip. However, she was unable to move. She stared at the log for what seemed like forever, unable to grasp what had just happened.

Suddenly, she was cradling her fist in her other hand, mouth parted to let out a cry. The sound from her lips sounded like a strangling animal- loud and vicious in its pain as she dropped to her knees. Her eyes watered mercilessly as the pain shot up her arm from her knuckles, forcing her to clench them shut to try and keep tears from streaming down her face.

That hurt!

She next found herself in the hospital, having her hand checked by a not so bad looking doctor. He held her hand delicately, turning it from side to side as Leiko sat with a pout on her face, both looking rather cute, but somehow tough at the same time. She could put up with pain! But only so far as it got a uniformed man to come and take a look at her. She wasn't _that_ tough, she lied in her head.

The doctor set her hand gently on her leg, and she looked at him expectantly, eyes shimmering in the best puppy-eyed glance she could muster. "It looks like it's just a fracture," he concluded, husky voice running smoothly from his lips. Was there anything about this man that wasn't delicious?

She could just... devour the man.

She flinched instantly, glaring suddenly and losing her puppy-eyed composure. No, she growled inwardly. She couldn't _devour_ him.

The man looked up, seeing her flinch. "Does it still hurt? I can get you something for the pain," he offered. Leiko blinked, startled by the fact she had been caught in her thoughts, and shook her head no. Her mood had been ruined.

More so when a female nurse walked in and took over.

"Okay then, let's get that wrapped for you."

Her glare was back on her face the entire time the girl was in the room, and the doctor left, seemingly uninterested in her affairs. Focused now on the blonde, skinny female before her, Leiko frowned. She wasn't at all gentle, and was causing her lip to twitch in the need to snarl. It took all her might not to smack the woman and do it herself- since she was doing a poor job anyways, and surely even one handed she could do it better.

"There you are, all done," the nurse declared after clipping the ends of the bandage. "You're free to go." And she walked from the room, not bothering to see if she was going to leave or to stay in that spot for the rest of the day. The thought crossed her mind to just stay put and see how long she could hide out in the small, brightly lit room before she was noticed. But she imagined that when she was noticed, she'd most definitely look like she was sulking. And that wasn't the case at all.

But before she could decide whether or not to sit and sulk over her hurt hand, or to leave with some dignity in tact, another blonde figure walked into the room- one she didn't so much mind seeing.

"Leiko, there you are!" her sister called lightly as she sped into the room. She halted before her to give her a moment to get down from the hospital bed, then glanced at her hand. "What happened?" she questioned curiously. Leiko merely shook her head, and walked from the room, Keiko following.

"Oh, well anyways, I have news!" she declared. Leiko turned her head briefly to show she was listening as they made their way from the hospital. "They gave us a place to stay for now, so that we're not taking up rooms in the hospital. It's real cheap for rent, we just have to get some jobs," she rambled. The news was good to hear after having fractured her hand, however she didn't show nearly as much excitement as Keiko.

"And the Hokage also said something about school too- Um, something to do with a training course you were taking today?" she turned her statement into a question, which she knew wouldn't be answered, but gave Leiko something to think about anyways.

And as she continued walking through the street, slowly finding it more and more uninhabited, her sister spoke to her once more.

"Maybe you should... talk to him," she paused, allowing Leiko to halt her steps and listen. "The Hokage, I mean," she explained. When she made no movement to acknowledge what was said, Keiko urged her on. "It's... starting to show." At that, Leiko's head turned, dark eyes boring into her sister's blue ones. She looked sincere, innocent... and worried.

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important- you know that!" she reasoned to Leiko's ever-silent objections. It seemed that even when she refused to speak, she could hold a firm argument. Perhaps it was the stare in her eyes. "But..." Her head turned to the side, staring in the direction of the gate they had entered in only the day before. "Leiko, it doesn't look like they'll let you out without some kind of permission," she finished.

The argument in her dark eyes died. Defeated, Leiko felt her upper lip curl slightly as she turned her glare towards the ground. There was no other choice, should she want to keep peace in the village they had stumbled across.

She would go after nightfall.

***

As the sun fell behind the Hokage Mountain, Leiko watched as the last few sparse workers stepped out of the main office of Konoha. Slowly she slid through the darkening shadows into the green doors, grabbing them before they shut. Staring slightly, she watched the last few people in the office she was entering as they shuffled papers, preparing to put them away for the night. One finally noticed her standing there silently, and scowled- it was the bugger who had tackled her.

"Now you come in here willingly..." he grumbled, snatching the others' attention as they turned all eyes on her. The old man's included.

She was thankful, when he understood her stance, and the way she fidgeted as she glanced at the other people in the room. "Ah, Leiko-san... you wish to speak to me, I assume?" he questioned as if it was a normal occurrence. Though the figures surrounding them seemed both shocked and awkward- obviously having heard of the ever-so-great silent female who had entered their village- the Hokage himself showed no fear, no doubt. It came as almost a shock to her, to realize this.

The man was clearly more powerful than he appeared in his old age to be so confident with a stranger.

She peered sheepishly at the other figures again, nodding in response to his question. And without a hint of hesitation that Leiko could see, he turned on them, smiling lightly. "I can finish here," he claimed, a silent order written between the lines.

There were expressions as if they wanted to protest, but none spoke a word as they shifted around Leiko and out the door. When it closed behind her, she raised her dark eyes to the Hokage, finding him watching her expectantly.

"What was it you wanted to see me about, Leiko-san?" he questioned. Though by the tone of his voice, it didn't seem he really expected her to answer.

It took a moment as he continued then to put papers into files and place them into their respective places, but eventually, the silence was broken.

"I need to leave the village."

The Hokage stopped what he was doing, surprised face glancing up at the sound of her rough, dark voice. Such a sound seemed unnatural coming from a young woman. Her voice had been unused for some time. But what was more, was the request.

Before he could object, she explained further. "Only for a night or two..." she struggled. Slowly her voice began to lose the scratch to it, it became more feminine, but only healed so much in such a short time. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Leiko realized how her throat hurt when she was finished giving the details to the old man, and how the moon was now clear in the sky above the buildings. Some time had passed. But the Hokage seemed to be contemplating. Thankfully, he didn't seem to think her insane. It was a step forward, in her books. It was a safety zone.

"Alright, Leiko-san... I understand," he finally spoke. Her eyes darted to stare at him almost accusingly. The phrase rang out in her head, the voice familiar. She remained silent again as he gave her the appropriate papers, for the appropriate time. And she didn't speak again as she walked from the office, leaving the male to think over just exactly what she had said to him.

As Leiko wandered through the hallway, her eyes bled black, hiding the previous darkness behind an abyss as, once again, that phrase passed through her conscious and red sparks floated passed her fingertips.

_"Alright, Leiko-san... I understand."_

It was now clear why the voice seemed familiar.


End file.
